# Playful Connections: Safi Aziz, Founder, Joust Society

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/how-we-connected-7614718/playful-connections-safi-aziz-founder-joust-society
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/how-we-connected-7614718/playful-connections-safi-aziz-founder-joust-society.md
Podcast: [How We Connected](https://stenobird.com/podcast/how-we-connected-7614718)
Published: 2026-06-16T19:52:38+00:00
Episode link: https://www.chamberofconnection.org/
Audio file: https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/69321d954a0500b7572aafcf/e/6a318869c26a46aaa571aa6e/media.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/how-we-connected-7614718/episodes/playful-connections-safi-aziz-founder-joust-society
Duration seconds: 2561

## Resource

Charlotte Massey and Aaron Hurst of the US Chamber of Connection discuss Charlotte’s weekend sorting childhood boxes and finding old party invitations and Aaron’s excitement about the New York Knicks championship, a Pittsburgh chapter launch, and a team retreat. This week's interview is with Safi Aziz founder of Joust, a “play club” that uses curated, fast, easy-to-learn games and carefully designed ambiance to spark conversation. Missing pre-pandemic Sunday game nights inspired Safi to launch Joust after a year of hesitation, and the club has now hosted 2,000+ players in two years. Joust partners with hotels by driving weekday traffic and shares game staples like Codenames, Flip Seven, and Wavelength. 00:00 Show Intro and Check-In 02:27 Weekend Plans 12:17 Introducing Safi Aziz and Joust 12:36 Origin Story: Sunday Game Nights 15:09 Joust Philosophy: Play Club, Not Board Game Club 16:53 The Secret Sauce 24:21 From Idea to Sold-Out First Event 27:23 Hotel Partnerships and the Business Model 31:13 Expanding Joust and the Loneliness Epidemic 33:00 Co-Designing the Art of Invitation --- How We Connected explores the conversations that power communities across the United States. Aaron Hurst and Charlotte Massey share what they’re building at the US Chamber of Connection and speak with leaders whose work strengthens local connection. Episodes offer human stories, practical insights, and ideas you can use in your own community. Aaron Hurst , Co-Founder of the US Chamber of Connection, is a longtime entrepreneur focused on purpose and community. He founded Imperative and the Taproot Foundation and wrote The Purpose Economy . Charlotte Massey , Co-Founder of the US Chamber of Connection, leads community programs nationally. A Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree and former organizer and…

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## Transcript

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